Machine for simultaneously closing top



March 1954 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 3,

. momma FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP mp BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 STANLEY K. fl xro/v KENNETH R P XTo/v ZMEQ E1 547M;

INVENTORS.

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54 l STAN/is) K. pnxraN INVENTORS.

March 31, 1 64 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 3, 2

MACHINE .FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP- AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 STANLEY 16'. PAXTON KENNETH R Pqxrazv LMEQ E. wws INVENTORS.

March 31, 1964 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 3,126,685

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 m 5 Wm m I I H I J WWW M A/2 STA/VA E) l.- Pnxraw KEN/var P. Pena/v 524415? E: Evan/s INVENTORS.

March 31, 1964 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 4 MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP 2 0 AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept.

Smuzzy If. H xrou R PRXfO/V 24452 EFl nus INVENTORS.

March 3 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 8 MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 4445? E: E/AWS INVENTORS.

March 31, 1964 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 3,126,685

I ong: OUSLY E FOR SIMULTANE OSING TOP D BOTTOM OF C ARDBOAR ARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 w Jmwzay JV. Pnxrau KENNETH R P xroN INVENTORS March 31, 1964 s. K. PAXTQN ETAL 3,126,685

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 77 FI Ga 140 9 w.

f 1 42," /27 g3 75 1 15p I68 T STANLEY HXTON w I69 128 I70 I25 I70 2 KENNETH R Paxwu I E lMEfi 1 EVA/vs 56'? 35 o 2 INVENTORS. O Q a :59 w. 154 I86j 36/ By 3) 258 36D 564 o I I March 31,, 1964 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 3,126,685

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed's ept. 21, 1960 l2 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIG. 16.

STANLEY K pqxra/v KENNETH R P xra/v EZMEQ E. Eva/vs INVENTORS.

March 31, 1964 s. K. PAXTON ETAL 3,126,685

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Filed Sept. 21, 1960 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 an 402-\ 3/5 5w L I71 m 2/7 2/4 STANLEY 1(- P/lxm/v 2/6 I KENNETH R Pnxrav EZMER E: E l HMS INVENTORS.

March 31, 1964 s. K. PAXTON ETAL MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 21, 1960 firm/45y 1U. Euro/v KENNETH R Pqxrou EZMEe E. EVA/v.5

INVENTORS.

S. K. PAXTON ETAL MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING. TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 March 31, 1964 3,126,685

Filed Sept. 21, 1960 fil 'ao 3:

& 527 2T 353 j 1' bl:

Srm/LEY E PAXTON KENNETH R PHXTO/V ELMEE E. EVflA/S mmvroxs United States Patent 3,126,685 MACHINE FOR SMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING TOP AND BOTTOM OF CARDBOARD CARTON Stanley K. Paxton, Kenneth P. Paxton, and Elmer E.

Evans, Yakima, Wash., assignors to Paxton Sales Corporation, Yakima, Wash., a corporation of Washington Filed Sept. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 58,595 14 Claims. (Cl. 53-138) This invention relates to the art of converting fiberboard shipping carton blanks into cartons and particularly to a novel method of and apparatus for doing this by stapling the side and end flaps together.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a method and apparatus by which the top side and end flaps are stapled together, and the bottom side and end flaps are stapled together, both operations being done simultaneously after the carton is packed with a product to be shipped therein.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a novel method and apparatus by which the top flaps on the one hand the bottom flaps on the other hand of a carton may be simultaneously stapled together to close the top and bottom of the carton after this has been packed with a product to be shipped therein and which functions without adjustment to automatically adapt itself to performing the function noted on cartons differing substantially in height, width and length.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a method and apparatus which may be modified by slight adjustment so that, in its operation, only the top flaps thereof will be stapled together. 7

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention embodied in an automatic stapling machine.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a carton the top and bottom of which has been stapled closed by said machine.

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of said machine taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 4, and showing the parts of said machine in positions of rest, and with a packed carton introduced into said machine in readiness for the latter to operate thereon.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of said machine taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and shows the parts of said machine in positions of rest with a carton, the tops and bottoms of which have just been closed by the operation of said machine, traveling out of said machine on the discharge conveyor thereof and another carton packed with a product and about to be delivered from a feed conveyor into said machine into a position shown by broken lines in this view in which said carton will be manually brought to rest in order for said machine to operate thereon.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentarydetailed view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3 and particularly illustrating the cam shaft and closely associated elements of said machine.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 3 just above the carton endwise centralizing mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 3 near the top of the machine and illustrates particularly the upper stapling and carton sidewise centralizing mechanisms of the machine.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic enlarged vertical sectional ice view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 6 and illustrates the cam for controlling the operation of the carton endwise centralizing mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 6 and illustrates one of the two cams of said machine which effects the vertical shifting and staple driving functions of the upper stapling mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged diagrammatic vertical sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 6 and illustrates one of the two cams of said machine for accomplishing the staple driving function of the lower stapling mechanism of said machine.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged vertical diagrammatic sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 6, and illustrates the cam which shifts the left and right stapling heads of the upper and lower stapling mechanisms of said machine inwardly toward each other between the first and second stapling operations of said machine to properly position said heads for the second stapling operation.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged diagrammatic vertical sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of FIG. 6 and illustrates the cam which operates the carton sidewise centralizing mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional operational view taken on the line 14-14 of FIG. 4 and illustrates the linkage for actuating the carton endwise centralizing mechanism at the moment this comes into engagement with the left and right stapling heads of the lower stapling mechanism so as to shift inwardly the left and right stapling heads of both upper and lower stapling mechanisms during the balance of the inward travel of the right and left roller guide units of said carton endwise centralizing mechanism.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional operational view taken in the same plane and looking in the same direction as FIG. 3 but showing the parts of the machine positioned as at a point in an operating cycle at which the roller guide units of the carton endwise centralizing mechanism have just centralized a carton in the machine endwise so as to bring said guides both into contact with opposite ends of said carton, this action also shifting inwardly the left and right stapling heads of the upper and lower stapling mechanisms into proper positions for driving the first pairs of staples in the top and bottom of said carton.

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 and illustrates the parts of the machine positioned at an advanced point in the cycle of operation thereof in which the initial pairs of staples are being driven by the upper and lower stapling mechanisms of the machine in the top and bottom of the carton.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged diagrammatic vertical sectional view taken on the line 17-17 of FIG. 6 and illustrates the cycle terminating switch and cam for operating the same.

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 16 and illustrates a point next in sequence in the operating cycle of said machine in which the left and right stapling heads of the upper and lower stapling mechanisms of the machine have been shifted inwardly into their inwardmost positions in readiness for driving the inner pairs of staples into the top and bottom of the carton in the machine.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional detail view taken on the line 19-19 of FIG. 18 and illustrates the pivotal connection between the driver bar of the upper stapling mechanism with its actuating pitmans.

FIG. 20 is a view similar to FIG. 19 and is taken on line 20-20 in FIG. 18 to show one of the slide heads which unite and vertically guide opposite ends of the horizontal stapling head slide bars of the upper stapling mechanism.

FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 18 and illustrates the parts of the machines position at the next point in sequence in the operating cycle of the machine in which the inner pairs of staples are driven into the top and bottom of the carton in the machine.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 2222 of FIG. 21 and illustrates the vertically yieldable connection between the stapling head slide bars and the staple driving bar of the upper stapling mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 23 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 23-23 of FIG. 21 and offers another illustration of the parts of the machine positioned as in the latter view.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 24-24 in FIG. 2, and shows how a staple looks after driven into a carton.

FIG. 25 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of said machine.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the apparatus of the invention is there illustrated as embodied in an automatic stapling machine 26. The Patent Ofiice drawings filed herewith were made approximately to true scale from a manufacturing prototype of this stapling machine. FIGS. 3, 4, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21 and 23 are drawn from said machine to the scale of 1 inch equals 7 inches.

The machine 26 includes a heavy sheet metal housing 27 within which the operating mechanisms of the machine are enclosed and which functions as a frame for supporting said mechanisms. The housing 27 comprises lower and upper shells 28 and 29. The upper shell 29 is smaller than the shell 28 and rests thereon and is rigidly secured thereto as will be made clear hereinafter. Both of these shells are rectangular in cross section, each thus having the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon. Lower shell 28 has front and rear walls 30 and 31 and left and right end walls 32 and 33. Wall 30 has an opening 34 which is provided to permit a motor 35 to extend outwardly therethrough and is temporarily closed by a removable panel 36 which conforms to the configuration of said motor. Wall 31 has an opening 40 (FIG. 6) which is covered by a removable panel 41. Wall 32 has an opening 42 which is covered by a removable panel 43. Wall 33 has an opening 44 which is covered by a removable panel 45.

The vertical walls of lower shell 28 have horizontal flanges 46 bent inwardly from the lower edges thereof, the inner edges of these flanges being bent upwardly to form a continuous upturned vertical flange 47, the flanges 46 and 47 being welded together at the corners of the shell 28. Upper edges of the walls of lower shell 28 also have horizontal flanges 48 inner edges of which are turned down to provide downturned vertical flanges 49. The flanges 48 and 49 are likewise welded together at the corners of the shell 28. Notches 50 (FIGS. 3 and 7) are provided in upper edges of end walls 32 and 33 and in their respective flanges 48 and 49 for a purpose to be made clear hereinafter. A pair of notches (FIG. 7) is also formed in the upper edge of rear wall 31 and its flanges 48 and 49 for a purpose to be made clear hereinafter.

As the inturned horizontal flanges 46 are fairly narrow, a rectangular horizontal opening of substantial size is bounded by the upturned flanges 47 and this opening is filled by a floor 56 which may be made of steel, light alloy metal, or other material and is rigidly united to the flanges 47 so as to be supported thereby.

The upper shell 29 of the metal housing 27 of the machine 26 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) has a front wall 60 and a rear wall 61 and left and right end walls 62 and 63. The front and rear walls 60 and 61 have large openings 64 and 65 along the vertical edges of which these walls are provided with inturned flanges while the upper horizontal edges of openings 64 and 65 have inturned 4 flanges 71. Welded to inner faces of front and rear walls 60 and 61 and forming upward extensions of flanges 70 above flanges 71 are ribs 72 (FIGS. 4 and 8). End walls 62 and 63 are provided with vertical slots 73 and end wall 63 has a round hole 74 the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter.

The four walls of the upper shell 29 are integrally united at their upper edges by a top wall 75.

Mounted in the sheet metal housing 27 just described are the following mechanisms:

A roller carton supporting conveyor 76 (FIGS. 5 and 7) is mounted horizontally on the upper end of the lower shell 28 to receive cartons 77 introduced into the machine 26 through the opening 64 and supports such cartons while the machine is operating thereon as well as facilitating the easy discharge of each such carton rearwardly through the opening 65 in the rear wall 61. Such cartons may be delivered to the machine 26 from a feed conveyor 78 and discharged rearwardly clear of the machine 26 by a power actuated chain conveyor 79 mounted on the rear wall 31.

Also mounted on the lower shell 28 but extending above conveyor 76 to engage opposite ends of a carton 77 is a carton endwise centralizing mechanism 80. Mounted in the upper shell 29 is a carton sidewise centralizing mechanism 81. Mounted on the lower shell 28 is a lower stapling mechanism 82 for driving staples into the bottom of a carton 77 when the latter has been centralized endwise and sidewise by the mechanisms and 81. Mounted in the upper housing shell 29 is an upper stapling mechanism 83 which operates coordinately with the lower stapling mechanism 82 to drive staples in the top of carton 77. Mounted mainly in the lower portion of lower shell 28 and the upper portion of upper shell 29 is a power mechanism 84 which includes the motor 35 and is driven thereby to actuate the above-named mechanisms 80, 81, 82 and 83.

The roller carton supporting conveyor 76 (FIGS. 4 and 7) is supported on four angle iron shelves 39 which are secured by bolts to flanges 49 of front and rear walls 30 and 31. This conveyor includes a perimetric frame 91 which is made of steel bar stock welded together in the shape clearly shown in FIG. 7 and having lugs 92 welded to its outer four corners each of which is designed to rest on one of the angle shelves 89 and thus support said conveyor. Mounted within the frame 91 so as to be freely rotatable therein are idle rollers 93 of three different lengths which lie all in the same horizontal plane so as to form a flat bed for supporting a carton 77 rolled across said conveyor. The reason for salients being formed in opposite ends of the conveyor 76 is to accommodate movement of parts of the carton endwise centralizing mechanism 80 and the lower stapling mechanism 82 during a stapling cycle of the machine 26.

The power carton discharge conveyor 79 includes a pair of endless conveyor chains 94 which are trained about sprockets 95 mounted on shafts 96 and 97' which are journaled in a frame 98 supported by an angle iron- 99 and a brace bar 104) fixed to the rear wall 31 (FIG 4).

Referring more specifically to power conveyor 79, we find, bolted at their lower and upper ends to vertical flanges 47 and 49, the following bars: left end stud bars 105, right end stud bars 106, front stud bars 107, 168, 109 and and rear stud bars 111 and 112. As shown in FIG. 6 the stud bars 105 and 106 are symmetrically related with the longitudinal axis of the shell 23. It is further noted that the bars 111 and 112 are transversely directly opposite from the bars 108 and 1119. Bolted to bars 111 and 112 are bearings 113 (FIG. 4) in which a shaft 114 journals, this shaft having sprockets 115 and 116 the first of which is connected by an endless chain 117 with a suitable sprocket fixed on shaft 97 so that rotation of shaft 114 rotates shaft 97 and drives conveyor 79. Sprocket 116 on shaft 114 is encircled by an endless chain 120 which also encircles a sprocket 121 of an electric motor 122 which is supported by bolts 123 on the rear wall 31.

The conveyor 79 is provided with a normally closed electric switch 24 which is open whenever it is engaged by a carton 77 traveling over conveyor 79. The purpose of this switch will be made clear hereinafter.

The canton endwise centralizing mechanism 80 is slidably mounted on a pair of longitudinally disposed parallel bars 125 opposite ends of which are bolted to angle brackets 126 which are welded or otherwise secured to end studs 105 and 106. The mechanism 80' includes two carton end engaging units 127 each of which includes a slide head 128 which slidably engages inner, upper and lower faces of the bars 125 so as to this head in alignment with said bars, and has 'a cross bar 129 lying on and welded to said head, from opposite ends of which bar arms 130 extend vertically upwardly these arms having blocks 135 on their inner faces to which is rigidly attached a roller mounting channel 136 having 'a series of vertically pivoted rollers 137 therein, these rollers facing inwardly and being aligned with each other in a true transverse plane perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26 (FIGS. 7, 21 and 23.) The manner in which the carton end engaging units 127 are slid on the bars 125 to accomplish the endwise centralizing of a carton 77 will be made clear hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 8 and 23, the vertical ribs 72 at the left side of upper shell 29 (FIG. 23) adjacent the left end wall 612 are connected together by horizontal frame bars 138 and 139 opposite ends of which are bolted to said ribs. The inbent flanges 70 which lie in the same vertical plane with said ribs 72 are connected together near their lower ends by a horizontal frame bar 140 opposite ends of which are bolted to said flanges. Frame bars 169 and 140 are connected together by vertical frame bars 141 opposite ends of which are bolted to frame bars 139 and 140. Bolted at their inner ends to the vertical bars .141 and at their outer ends to the flanges 70 are short horizontal bars 142, the bars 142 being in horizontal alignment (FIG. 23).

At the right hand end of upper shell 29 (FIG. 4) just inside right end wall 63 thereof the rib 72 formed on rear wall 61 has bolted thereto the adjacent ends of two horizontal frame bars 143 and 144. The opposite ends of these bars terminate in spaced relation with the adjacent rib 7 2 provided on the front wall 61 and are fixed on a block 145 which is mounted on right end wall 63 of the upper shell 29. Inturned flanges 70 adjacent end walls 63 are connected near their lower ends by horizontal frame bar 1151 opposite ends of which are bolted to said flanges. Horizontal frame bars 144 and 150 are connected by vertical frame bars 151 opposite ends of which are bolted to said horizontal bars, bolts 152 being used for this purpose at the upper end of frame bars 141 to not only secure these bars to horizontal bar 144 but also to secure an angle cushion base 153 to the upper ends of vertical bars 151] (FIG. 5). Cemented or bonded to the lower horizontal face of cushion base 153 is a rubber cushion 154. Bolted at their opposite ends to vertical frame bars 151 and to flanges 70 aligned therewith (FIG. 4) are two horizontal frame bars 155, these bars being in horizontal alignment with each other.

Bolted to horizonal frame bars 142 and 155 (FIGS. 23 and 4) and depending therefrom are bearing plates 156 which are apertured to provide aligned hearings in which are journaled horizontal carton sidewise centralizing shafts 157 which shafts are parallel and symmetrically disposed relative to the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26. Welded onto shafts 157 and extending outwardly therefrom in parallel relation are pairs of arms 158 having skate rollers 159 pivotally mounted theron at their ends.

Mounted on the ends of shafts 157 where these extend to the left through bearings 156 adjacent the left end wall 62 are lever arms (FIG. 23) 165 and 166 the latter arm being in the shape of a rectangle and the two arms being connected by a crooked link 167 opposite ends of which are pivotally united with said arms so as to connect the two shafts 157 for approximately symmetrical reverse rotation relative to each other. The central portion of link 167 is broken away in FIG. 23 to disclose machine parts otherwise obscured in this view. This link is a .solid and continuous although crooked link from one end to the other. The shafts 157, arms 158, rollers 159, arms and 1566 and the crooked connecting link 167 comprise the carton sidewise centralizing mechanism 81. The manner in which this is power actuated during a cycle of operation of the machine 26 will be made clear hereinafter.

The lower stapling mechanism 82 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 23) includes a left stapling head 168 and a right stapling head 169 which are (both slidably mounted on the longitudinal horizontal pair of bars 125 with said heads disposed just inwardly respectively from the slide heads 12% of the carton endwise centralizing units 127. Any suitable staple driving devices may be used as the stapling heads 168 and 169 but these are preferably of the type shown in our copending application Serial No. 825,900 filed July 9, 1959, for Carton Stapling Machine, and each includes a slide base 170 which slidably engages the inner parallel faces of bars 125 as well as the upper and lower faces of said bars so as to slidably relate these heads with said bar-s. Each of the stapling heads 168 and 169 has a driver 171 extending downwardly therefrom and having a flat head 172 at its lower end. Each of the stapling heads 168 and 169 also has a guide plate 173 for guiding this stapling head beneath the carton 77 during the operation of the machine 26. Each stapling head also has a staple magazine housing 174 for holding a magazine 1175 from which staples 176 are fed to that head.

Secured at their opposite ends to vertical stud bars 165 and 106 (FIG. 3 and 6) is a pair of upper horizontal frame bars 180. Also secured to said stud bars at a lower level are horizontal frame bars 181 and 182. Fixed vertically on the horizontal frame bars 186 so as to be symmetrically aligned with the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26 is a piar of guide bars 183 which are approximately of the same width as a horizontal driver bar 184, opposite ends of which abut against the guide bars 1183 and are slid-ably related vertically therewith by pairs of plates 1 85 which are secured to opposite side faces of the bar 184 and overlap the guide bars 183. Bolted to opposite side faces of the bar 184 are pains of sheet metal angles 186, upper flanges 18 7 of which turn inwardly over the bar 184 to trap the driver heads 172 for vertical reciprocation with the bar 184 but permitting longitudinal sliding movement of the drivers 171 relative to the bar .184. Contractile springs 188 op posite ends of which are connected to the plates and frame bars 105 and 196 constantly urge the bar 184 into its lowermost position in which it is shown in FIG. 3. The manner in which the lower stapling mechnaism 82 just described is actuated during an operation cycle of the machine 26 will be made clear hereinafter.

The upper stapling mechanism 83 includes a left upper stapling head 1 89 and a right upper stapling head 190. These stapling heads are mounted for horizontal sliding movement in symmetrical relation with the transverse vertical plane of symmetry of machine 26, on a pair of parallel slide bars which are united by a central spacing block 196 (FIGS. 18 and 22) to which said bars are secured by screws 197, said block and said bars being supported by a bolt 198 which extends upwardly through a central vertical hole in the block 196 in a manner to be made clear hereinafter. At their opposite ends the bars 195 are connected by screws 199 to slide heads 200 (FIG. 20) which extend between vertical bars 141 at the left end of the machine and vertical bars 151 adjacent faces of said bars so as to prevent either endwise 7 or lateral shifting of the bars 195 and to guide these for vertical sliding movement relative to the vertical bars 141 and 151.

The stapling heads 189 and 190 are like the stapling heads 168 and 169 with this difference: each of the upper stapling heads has a slide base 201 which slidably fits the interior and upper and lower faces of bars 195 to maintain the said stapling heads in accurate longitudinal alignment with each other and in symmetrical relation with the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the machine 26, each of these slide bases having a roller 202 the purpose of which will become clear later. The upper stapling heads also have carton guide plates 203 which are relatively horizontal except that they are inclined upwardly toward the front end of the machine as shown in FIG. 4. Each of the upper stapling heads also has a driver 204 with a fiat head 205.

Referring again to bolt 198 (FIG. 22), this is threaded at its opposite ends, carries a nut 210 and set nut 211 at its lower end which bear upwardly against block 196 to support this block and bars 195, said bolt extending on upwardly through a coil compression spring 212 coiled thereabout and is screwed into a tapped hole 213 provided vertically in an upper stapling mechanism driver bar 214. Opposite ends of driver bar 214 (FIG. 19) are provided with tapped holes 215 for receiving trunnion screws 216 which pivot in a selected pair of two series of sleeve bearings 217 provided in a pair of pitmans 218 by which the driver bar 214 is supported. The pitmans 218 are pivotally suspended (FIG. 23) from the ends of heavy arms 219 which are fixed on opposite ends of a shaft 220 (FIGS. 3 and 8) which journals in bearings 221 which are bolted to horizontal frame bars 138 and 139 at the left end of the machine (FIG. 23) and to horizontal frame bars 143 and 144 at the right hand end of the machine (FIG. 4). The manner of rocking the arms 219 vertically to accomplish the actuation of the upper stapling mechanism 83 will be made clear hereinafter. The driver bar 214 is provided with a pair of slide heads 222 which slidably bear against adjacent pairs of vertical faces of the pair of bars 141 at the left end of the machine and of the pair of bars 151 at the right hand end of the machine 26, thus vertically guiding the driver bar 214 on the bars 141 and 151.

Slidable horizontally on the bar 214 is a pair of slide boxes 223 (FIG. 3), one for each of the stapling heads 189 and 190 each of these boxes having a pair of guide rods 225 which extend vertically downward on opposite sides of one of the rollers 202 so that shifting that box 223 on the bar 214 will likewise shift the stapling head having that roller along the bars 195. Each of the slide boxes 223 has a pair of plates 226 secured to opposite faces thereof and extending downwardly therefrom these plates having inturned flanges 227 which extend beneath the heads 205 of drivers 204, so that vertical movement of bar 214 with reference to bars 195 will produce a corresponding vertical movement of the drivers 204 relative to the stapling heads 189 and 190.

Each of the slide boxes 223 has welded thereto and extending upwardly therefrom, a pair of vertical shifting bars 227. The bars of each of these pairs are spaced apart so as to slidably receive therebetween one of a pair of rollers 228 and 229 mounted on the lower ends of arms 230 and 231 which are fixed respectively to shafts 232 and 233 journaled in pairs of bearings 234 and 235 which are secured by bolts 240 to the top wall 75 of upper shell 29. Fixed on shaft 232 is a short arm 241 which is pivotally connected to one end of a link 242 which is adjustable in length and has its opposite end pivotally connected to the arm 231.

The power mechanism 84 is located principally in the lower shell 28 below the driver bar 184 and includes a pair of bearings 244 and 245 mounted on horizontal frame bars 181 and 182 respectively, a bearing 246 mounted on a standard 247 bolted to floor 56, and a main cam shaft 248 which journals in said three bearings. It also includes a bearing 249 mounted on vertical stud bar 111, a bearing 250 mounted on vertical stud bar 112 and a bearing 255 mounted on horizontal frame bar 182 in which three bearings shaft 256 journals. Power mechanism 84 also includes bearings 257 mounted on vertical stud bars 108 and 111 and in which shaft 258 journals, and bearings 259 mounted on vertical stud bars 109 and 112 and in which horizontal shaft 260 journals (FIG. 6). Bifurcated brackets 261 carrying heavy pivot pins 262 rest on the floor 56 and are secured to lower ends of vertical stud bars 107 and 110. Cam shaft 248 is provided with a driven sprocket 263 which is connected by an endless chain 264 to a drive pinion 265 provided on the drive shaft 270 of the electric motor 35 of the machine 26. The cams mounted on the cam shaft 248 will now be described and it should be borne in mind that each complete operating cycle of the machine 26 is accomplished by the motor 35 rotating shaft 243 one complete revolution in the direction of the arrows 271 in FIGS. 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 17.

Beginning at the right end of shaft 248, the following operating cams are keyed to this shaft: carton endwise centralizing cam 272; one of two upper stapling mechanism staple driving cams 273; switch cam 274 for halting rotation of shaft 248 at end of single revolution; one of two lower stapling mechanism staple driving cams 275; cam 276 which shifts the left stapling heads .163 and 189 and the right stapling heads 169 and 190 symmetrically towards each other to position the same for driving the second pairs of staples into the top and bottom of the carton 77; cam 277 which is a companion to cam 275; earn 278 which actuates the carton sidewise centralizing mechanism; and cam 279 which is the companion to cam 273 at the right end of the machine.

The cam following elements directly responsive to the cams above enumerated will now be described. Freely rotatable on shaft 256 alongside cam 272 is an arm 280 having a roller 281 which rides directly on top of cam 272. Connecting at its upper and lower ends, respectively, to the free end of arm 280 and to a bracket 282 fixed to floor 56 is a powerful contractile coil spring 233. Pivotally mounted at their front ends on the pins 262 are two double bar arms 284 each of which arms carries a cam follower roller 285 which rollers are in line with and located beneath cams 273 and 279 and are swung upwardly into contact with these cams by a means to be described hereinafter.

Mounted on the floor 56 is a switch 286 of the normally closed type this switch having a roller 287 which, when engaged by cam 274 and shifted from its broken line position into the full line position in which this is shown in FIG. 17 opens switch 286.

Pivotally mounted on shaft 256 are two double bar arms 289 on which cam follower rollers 290 are rotatably mounted with these rollers in radially superimposed relation with cams 275 and 277. Pivotally mounted on shaft 256 is an arm 295, this arm pivotally carrying a roller 296 which rests directly downwardly on cam 276. Connected at its upper and lower ends to the free end of arm 295 and to a bracket 297 mounted on floor 56 is a powerful contractile coil spring 298 which constantly pulls the roller 296 downwardly against cam 276. The free end of arm 295 has welded thereon a flat horizontal lug 299 which is vertically apertured to receive a vertical rod 300 carrying a collar 301. A coil spring 302 is connected at its lower end to the lower end of rod 300 and at its upper end to lug 299 so as to yieldably hold collar 301 upwardly against lug 299.

Pivotally mounted on the left extremity of shaft 256 is an arm 303 on which is pivotally mounted a cam follower roller 304 which directly overlies and rests on cam 278. Upper and lower ends of a powerful contractile coil spring 305 connect respectively with a free end of arm 303 and a bracket 310 mounted on the floor 56. Welded to and extending from the free extremity of arm 303 is a fiat lug 311 which is vertically apertured to receive a rod 312 carrying a collar 313. Screwed onto the threaded lower end of rod 312 beneath the lug 311 is one or more nuts 314, and a spring 315 is coiled about rod 312 between collar 313 and lug 311 with this spring under substantial axial expansive tension. The rod 312 extends upwardly just inside the left end upper shell wall 62 and its upper end is pivotally connected to the rectangular arm 166 by a pivot pin 316 which thus enables the carton sidewise centralizing mechanism 81 to be actuated by the cam 27 8.

Pivotally mounted on the pin 317 provided at the free end of each of the double bar arms 284 is the lower end of one of a pair of links 318 each of these links including a dash pot 319 and pivotally connected at its upper end to one of the arms 219 by a pivot pin 320. Each of the dash pots 319 includes a cylinder 325 having an upper head 326 which is apertured to receive a rod 327 (comprising the upper portion of link 318) this rod extending downwardly to a point close to the lower end of cylinder 325 where it is provided with a piston 328 which loosely fits said cylinder, there being an expansive spring 329 coiled about rod 327 between the head 326 and the piston 328 this spring resisting extension of link 318 and returning said link to its normal length after said link has been extended by compression of the spring 329. Connected at its lower end to a clamp 330 which is set on the cylinder 325 and, at its upper end, to a bracket 331, is a powerful coil spring 332. There are two of these springs, one of which is applied to each of the links 318 as shown in FIG. 23, so as to constantly hold the cam follower rollers 285 upwardly against the cams 273 and 279.

Pivoted at their upper ends between angle brackets 333 secured to the lower face of driver bar 184 are adjustably extensible links 334, the lower ends of these links being pivotally connected to the free ends of double arms 289. Through these links, cams 275 and 277 accomplish the driving of staples upwardly from the lower stapling mechanism 82 into the carton 77.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 14, it is to be noted that the linkage shown in FIG. 3 is located in the front half of the lower shell 28 (that is on the front side of the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26) whereas the linkage shown in FIG. 14 is viewed from the rear of the machine and is located in the rear of said plane of symmetry. Keeping this distinction clearly in mind will help one to understand the following description of the linkage shown in both these views. The linkage for controlling the longitudinal movement of the left stapling heads and the right stapling heads of the upper and lower stapling mechanisms is principally shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 and is actuated by cam 276 through vertical rod 309. This linkage includes a sleeve 340 freely rotatable on shaft 258 and having an arm 341 extending upwardly and inwardly (speaking now of the machine with the parts at positions of rest) and an arm 342 which extends inwardly and slightly downward from horizontal and is pivotally connected at its extremity with the upper end of rod 300. The extremity of arm 341 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 343 the opposite end of which pivotally connects to the slide base 170 of right lower stapling head 169. A sleeve 344 is freely rotatably mounted on shaft 260 and has two arms 345 and 346 which extend from said sleeve, in positions of rest as shown in FIG. 3. The sleeve 344 also has a short arm 347 extending downwardly and lying in the same plane as arm 345. The upper end of arm 345 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 348 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the slide base 170 of left lower stapling head 168. The extremity of short arm 347 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 349 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the arm 341 at a point having the same radius from the shaft 258 as that which the arm 347 has from shaft 260. The extremity of 10 arm 346 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a relatively long link 350 which extends upwardly just inside the right end wall 63 of the upper shell 29 and pivotally connects at its upper end with the extremity of the operating arm 243.

Thus when the cam 276 elevates the roller 296 and swings the arm 295 upwardly the spring 302 is caused to apply yieldable upward pressure on the rod 300 which is transmitted through the arm 342 and the linkage above enumerated to simultaneously and yieldably shift the left stapling heads 168 and 189 and the right stapling heads 169 and 190 horizontally towards each other so as to maintain the left heads and the right heads in symmetrical relation to each other on the opposite sides of the transverse vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26 which bisects the machine at right angles to the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the machine. When the left stapling heads and the right stapling heads are thus shifted towards each other yieldably and meet with resistance, no damage is done by the cam 276 because the spring 302 absorbs the excess motion of arm 295 in response to rotation of said cam when this motion cannot be transmitted to the stapling heads through the rod 300. The application of force from cam 276 to the stapling heads is thus yieldable. Furthermore, because of the relatively small strength of the spring 276 which is just adequate to return the left and right stapling heads outwardly to their positions of rest after a stapling cycle of the machine 26, it is possible to shift the left stapling heads and the right stapling heads inwardly towards each other independent of the action of cam 276 as will become clear in the description of the operation of the machine hereinafter.

Mounted on the front end of shaft 260 and secured thereto by pin 355 is a sleeve 356 having an arm 357 the outer end of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 358, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the free end of the arm 280. Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 14, we see that shaft 260 has formed integrally thereon an upper arm 359 and a short lower arm 360 whereas the shaft 258 has formed integrally therewith an upwardly extending arm 361. Attention is called to the fact that FIG. 14 does not show the parts there disclosed in positions of rest excepting for the left lower stapling head 168 and the right lower stapling head 169 (which are in reverse positions in this view because they are seen from the rear). The carton endwise centralizing units 127 are indicated in broken lines in FIG. 14 in their po' sitions of rest but in full lines these units are shown as when they have just moved inwardly sufficient distances (about one inch) to bring the slide heads 128 of these units into contact with the slide bases 170 of said stapling heads. The extremity of arm 359 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 362 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the slide base 128 of the left unit 127 while the extremity of lever 361 is pivotally connected to one end of the link 363 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the slide base 128 of the right carton endwise centralizing unit 127. The extremity of arm 360 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 364 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the arm 361 at a point having the same radius from shaft 258 as that of the arm 360 from shaft 260.

As arm 357 is rigidly connected to shaft 260, rocking this arm by its connection through line 358 with cam follower arm 280 causes a rocking of shaft 260 and transmits this motion through the linkage just described to the carton endwise centralizing units 127 so as to either shift ese outwardly away from each other to their positions of rest or symmetrically shift them towards each other maintaining them always in symmetrical relation with the transverse plane of symmetry of the machine 26 above referred to.

Referring now to FIG. 25 which illustrates a diagram of the electrical wiring of the machine 26, it will be noted that lead L1 connects to each of the motors 35 and 122 while lead L2 connects to a normally open switch 370 which is mounted on the front wall 30 of the lower shell 28. The other side of this switch is connected to the motor 122 and to the switch 124 mounted on the discharge conveyor 79, the latter switch being normally closed. The other side of switch 124 connects to one side of the switch 286 which is normally open and also to one side of a foot pedal switch 287 by which the operation of the machine 26 is pedal controlled. The other sides of switches 286 and 287 connect to the motor 35.

Operation As above noted the machine 26 functions to automatically drive a piar of staples 176 simultaneously in the top and bottom of a cardboard carton 77 adjacent each of the opposite ends of this carton and drive two additional pairs of such staples into the top and bottom of carton 77 with the latter pairs uniformly spaced inwardly from the outer pairs of staples. That is to say, the inner pairs of staples 176 are spaced inwardly uniform distances from the outer pairs of staples for all boxes of a given length. The machine 26 however is designed to drive the two inner pairs of staples with these pairs spaced a fixed distance apart, regardless of the length of the carton being stapled. As the machine 26 always drives the initial pairs of staples with these pairs spaced a fixed distance from the end of the carton, the distances which the inner pairs of staples are spaced from the outer pairs of staples varies with the length of the carton.

As shown in FIG. 2 each of the cartons 77 is of the ordinary folded corrugated cardboard type which comes folded flat and must be opened up manually to prepare it for use. When thus opened up it has end walls 371, side walls 372, bottom end flaps 373, bottom side flaps 374, top end flaps 375 and top side flaps 376.

The range of sizes of cartons 77 which can be automatically handled in the machine 26 include all those cartons coming within the following limits:

Inches Maximum carton height 15 Minimum carton height 12 Maximum carton length 24 Minimum carton length 16 Maximum carton width 18 Minimum carton width 8 For illustrative purposes the drawings, which were drawn to scale, show the machine of the invention working on a carton 13 inches high, 18 inches long and 14 inches wide.

In folding the top and bottom flaps of the carton 77 in overlapping relation, the end flaps are preferably folded first and the side flaps then folded over the end flaps both on the top and bottom of the carton. The staples 176 driven in the carton by the machine 26 are preferably of the type and the stapling heads driving the same of such character that the staples when finally driven appear as shown in FIG. 24. In other words the terminal portions 377 of each staple 176 are curled inwardly as they penetrate the second layer of cardboard into which they are driven so as not to entirely pass through said second layer but remain covered by the inner layer of paper on the inner layer of cardboard so as to protect the product packed in the carton from direct contact with the staples.

The first step of operating the machine 26 is to close the switch 370 which energizes the circuits of the motors 35 and 122 and starts the motor 122 running. The motor 122 drives the carton discharge conveyor 79 and continues to operate this conveyor as long as the switch 370 is closed. The motor 35 does not start when the switch 370 is closed however because both the switches 286 and 287 are open. The switch 286 at this time is held open by the cam 274 and the switch 287 is normally open and is not closed except by the operator placing his foot on this.

The next step in operating the machine 26 is to introduce a carton 77 from the conveyor 7 8 into the machine in approximately the position shown by broken lines in FIG. 4. Each of the cartons arriving at the machine 26 on the conveyor 78 of course have had their bottom flaps folded in overlapping relation, the carton filled with the product to be packaged therein and then the top flaps folded in overlapping relation as shown in FIG. 4. Thus all the operator has to do with the cartons in feeding the machine 26 is to shift the foremost carton 77 on the conveyor 78 horizontally from this conveyor onto the conveyor 76 of the machine 26. It is not necessary for the operator to centralize this carton other than approximately in the machine 26 as the endwise and sidewise centralizing of the carton are automatically taken care of by mechanisms 80 and 81, above described. Following the insertion of a carton 77 into the machine 26, the operator steps on the pedal switch 287 thus closing the circuit of the motor 35 and causing this to rotate cam shaft 248 in the direction of arrow 271. As before noted, FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 illustrate the parts shown therein in positions of rest as they are before the operator places his foot on pedal switch 287. As the shaft 248 turns, the cams mounted thereon and the profiles of which are clearly shown in FIGS. 9-l3 inclusive, turn in the direction of arrow 271 with the shaft.

The first thing that happens as a result of this is that the single lobe of cam 272 turns downward away from supporting relation with roller 281 thereby permitting the spring 283 to swing arm 280 downwardly which, through the link 858, swings the arm 357 downwardly, and rotates the shafts 260 and 258 in opposite directions to symmetrically shift the carton endwise centralizing units 127 towards each other, the initiation of this movement being illustrated in the difference between the broken line and full line positions of these heads in FIG. 14. The spring 283 is sufliciently powerful so that after this endward movement of the units 127 is initiated as shown in FIG. 14 to bring the slide heads 128 of these units into contact with the lower stapling heads 168 and 169 these stapling heads respond to the inward movement of the carton endwise shifting units 127 so as to be pushed inwards by' said heads until the rollers 137 of said heads engage opposite ends of the carton 77 and centralize the latter endwise so that both ends of said carton are engaged by and brought parallel with the rollers 137 of the heads 1 27. As the linkage connecting the heads 127 maintain these at all times in symmetrical relation with the transverse vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26, the carton 77 is brought into symmetry with that plane when each of the ends of the carton is engaged by and parallel with one of the heads 127.

Simultaneously with the functioning of the carton endwise centralizing mechanism 80 as above described, the cam 278 lifts the roller 304 and swings the arm 303 upwardly as shown in FIG. 25 thereby yieldably elevating the rod 312 and actuating the carton sidewise centralizing mechanism 81. The rollers 159 are thus swung downwardly symmetrically with the longitudinal vertical plane of symmetry of the machine 26 thereby centralizing the carton 77 sidewise symmetrically with this plane. It is to be noted, by observation of the cams 272 and 278 in FIGS. 9 and 13, that, following the initial rotation of these cams which causes the centralizing mechanisms 80 and 81 to function as above described, these mechanisms continue to perform their centralizing functions of the carton 77 throughout the cycle of operation of the machine 26 now being described and the parts of these mechanisms are only returned to their positions of rest at the conclusion of a single revolution of shaft 248 which concludes a cycle of operation of the machine 26. It is also to be observed that the cams shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 do not disturb the positions of their respective cam follower rollers 2'85, 290 and 296 until the carton 77 has been centralized both endwise and sidewise in the machine 26.

The sequential changes in the positions of the parts of the machine 26 as successive steps in the method of the invention are performed by these parts may now be observed by reference to the operational views of the drawings to be found in FIGS. 15, 16; 18, 21 and 23. Of these, FIG. '15 illustrates the positions of the parts of the machine just after the endwise and sidewise centralizing of the carton 77 has taken place and before the initial pairs of staples 176 are driven into the top and bottom of the carton. This view shows how the inward movement of the units 127 in order to centralize the carton 77 endwise, has shifted the stapling heads of both the upper and lower stapling mechanisms symmetrically towards each other so that these heads are symmetrically related with the carton 77 and are in position for the driving of the first two pairs of staples into the top and bottom of the carton. In order for the spring 283 to thus accomplish the endwise centralizing of carton 77 and also shift the stapling heads, both upper and lower, inwardly as above noted, the spring 286 is made considerably more powerful than the spring 298, the latter being merely depended upon to return the stapling heads to their outermost positions at the close of the operational cycle of the machine 26.

The inward shifting of the stapling heads at the beginning of the cylole of operation thus swings the arm 295 upwardly, stretching the spring 298 and lifting the cam follower roller 296 out of contact with its cam 276. The tension of spring 298, although overcome, operates to maintain these stapling heads in contact with the slide heads 128 of endwise centralizing units 127 at the stage of operation shown in FIG. 15 so that the positions of said stapling heads relative to the carton 77 are determined by their constant engagement with the 127. As shown in FIG. 3, slide heads 128 and slide bases 170 are spaced about an inch apart when all the parts of the machine 26- are at rest, and the heads 123 must move inward this distance before they engage the slide bases 170 of the stapling heads 168 and 169' and thus start shifting inwardly the stapling heads of both the upper and lower stapling mechanisms through the linkage connecting the stapling heads.

When the operation of the machine 26 reaches the point illustrated in FIG. 15 the cams 273 and 279 have rotated so as to start depressing the rollers 285, and the cams 275 and 277 have rotated so as to start lifting the rollers 290. Depression of rollers 2:85 draws downwardly on the links 318 thus stretching the springs 332', swinging the arms 219 downwardly and lowering the driver bar 214 of the upper stapling mechanism from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 15 to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 16. Being suspended from bar 214, the upper stapling mechanism 83- is thus lowered into contact with and comes to rest on top of the carton 77, the guide plates 203 directly engaging the top side flaps 376' of the carton and folding these down tightly against the upper end flaps 375 thereof. After the stapling heads 189 and 190* thus come to rest on top of the carton 77, the driver bar 214 continues downwardly so as to force the drivers 204 downwardly into the heads 189 and 19% causing the latter to drive staples 176 into the top of the carton 7 7 Simultaneously with this action, the elevation of cam follower rollers 290- shifts the lower driver bar 18 4 upwardly from the position in which this is shown in FIG. 15 to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 16, this movement extending drivers 171 upwardly into the lower stapling heads 168 and 169' and driving staples from these heads into the bottom of the carton 77. Thus two pairs of staples 176 are simultaneously driven in the top and bottom of each end portion of the carton 77 with these staples uniformly spaced from the two ends of the carton.

Continued rotation of the shaft 248* past the stage in the cycle of operation of the machine 26 illustrated in FIG. 16 permits the cam follower rollers 285 to return upwardly and the rollers 290 to descend to the normal positions of these rollers shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 which returns the bars 184- and 214 to their respective downward and upward positions of rest shown in FIG. 15. As this takes place, cam 276 moves into lifting relation with its cam follower roller 2% thus swinging arm 295 upwardly which yieldably elevates the rod 300 and rotates the arm 342 so as to actuate the linkage connecting all four stapling heads and to shift the left heads and right heads symmetrically inwardly towards each other into their innermost positions shown in FIG. 18, where they are properly related to the carton 77 for driving two more pairs of staples into the top and bottom of the carton. It is to be noted that when this repositioning of the stapling heads takes place as shown in FIG. 18, the slide bases 170 of the lower stapling heads move substantial distances inwardly out of contact with the slide heads 128 of carton endwise centralizing units .127.

Following the horizontal repositioning of the stapling heads shown in FIG. 18, the cams 273 and 279 operating on rollers 285 and cams 275 and 277 operating on rollers 290, again depress the driver bar 214 and elevate the driver bar 184 as shown in FIG. 21 to drive another two vertically aligned pairs of staples 176 into the top and bottom of the carton 77 As this second staple driving step .is completed and the bars 214 and 194 are permitted to retire upwardly and downwardly to their positions of rest, the shaft 248 approaches the completion of its single revolution which comprises the operating cycle of the machine 26 thus lowering the roller 304 to its position of res-t shown in FIG. 13 and elevating the roller 281 to its position of rest shown in FIG. 9, thereby returning the carton endwise centralizing mechanism and the carton sidewise centralizing mechanism 81 to their positions of rest as shown in the views illustrating this position of the parts of the machine v26.

The carton 77, with its top and bottom both thus stapled closed, completing the packaging of the product contained therein, is now pushed by the operator over the conveyor 76 onto the continuously power operated discharge conveyor 79. While a carton 77 thus delivered onto the conveyor 79 rests downwardly on the roller 287 of the switch 286 this switch is held open so that the operator is unable to initiate another cycle of operation of the machine 26 by depressing the pedal switch 237 until this carton has been delivered by the conveyor 79 far enough from the machine 26 so as to no longer depress the switch 124. When this happens the switch 124, which is normally closed, closes and the operator is then able by closing the pedal switch 287 to set the machine 26 in motion to staple closed another carton 77 which he has in the meantime introduced into the machine in the position shown by the broken lines in FIG. 4.

It is to be noted that it is not necessary for the operator to retain his foot on the pedal switch 287 during an operation cycle of the machine 26 after he has once initiated such a cycle by stepping on said switch. The reason for this is that as soon as the shaft 24% starts to turn in response to the depression of pedal switch 287, cam 274 swings away from contact with the roller 287 of switch 286 thus causing the latter to be closed and completing the electric circuit of the motor 35 even though the operator lifts his foot from pedal switch 287 permitting this to open. As the single revolution of the shaft 248 is completed the cam 274 reengages the roller 287 of switch 286 thus opening the latter and deenergizing the motor 35 thereby halting rotation of the shaft 248.

The machine 26 is designed for simultaneously driving staples into the top and bottom of a carton, so that the carton may be filled with a product to be packaged therein after the bottom fiaps have been folded together and before the bottom flaps are stapled, and then the top flaps folded over the product so that the entire stapling operation is done at one time. In case it is desired to staple the bottom flaps together before the carton is filled with the product to be shipped therein, machines are available for accomplishing this function. Where cartons with the bottoms already stapled together are used for packaging a product and it is merely desired to staple the top flaps of the carton together after the box is packed, the machine 26 may be used for this purpose by disconnecting the links 334 which actuate the driving of staples from the lower stapling mechanism 82. With this slight change, the machine 26 may be used simply to perform the operation of stapling together the top flaps of the car-ton after this has been packed. I

As clearly shown in FIGS. 7 and 23, the upper shell 29 of the housing 27 is secured to the lower shell 28 by bolts 400.

The hole 74 in wall 63 (FIG. 1) is employed in the assembly of the machine for inserting the shaft 220 in the bearings 2-21.

It is to be understood that the cylinder 325 of each of the links 3 18 contains a liquid which operates to impede movement of the piston 328 in said cylinder and thus retards contraction and extension of this link. The purpose of this is to damp out expansion of the springs 329 at the start of the return upward of the upper stapling mechanism 83 so that the latter will lift out of contact with the carton immediately, leaving these springs to return gradually to their normal extension.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the front end of each of the roller channels 136 is provided with flaring carton guide plate 401 for helping guide a carton into machine 26.

The upper shell 29 being somewhat shorter than the lower shell 28, cover plates 402 are secured by screws 403 to the top of end portions of lower shell 28 which would otherwise be open to the admission of debris into that shell.

The claims are:

1. In an automatic cyclic stapling machine for simultaneously stapling lower and upper side flaps of a carton fed into said machine, after said carton has been filled with a product to be packaged, to lower and upper end flaps respectively of said carton, while said carton is halted in a given position in said machine, the combination of: means for supporting a carton in said position on its bottom end and side flaps with said flaps folded together in flat overlapping relation, and with the top end and side flaps of said carton folded together in flat overlapping relation over said product; a lower stapling mechanism disposed under said carton when the latter is so supported for driving staples upwardly into the bottom of said carton; an upper stapling mechanism disposed above said carton when the latter is so supported, for driving staples downwardly into the top of said carton; and power means for successively locating said carton in the aforesaid position in said machine and then simultaneously actuating said stapling mechanisms to staple together the overlapping bottom end and side flaps of said carton and to staple together the overlapping top end and side flaps of said carton.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which said power means centralizes said carton sidewise with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of said stapling mechanisms at the initiation of an operation cycle in said machine, said mechanisms driving staples to bind together edges of said side flaps meeting at said longitudinal plane to end flaps disposed inside said side flaps.

3. A combination as in claim 1 in which said power means automatically centralizes said carton endwise with respect to the transverse plane of symmetry of said stapling mechanisms at the initiation of the complete automatic cycle of said machine.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which said power means centralizes said carton sidewise with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of said stapling mechanisms, said power means also automatically centralizing said carton endwise with respect to the transverse plane of symmetry of said stapling mechanisms at the initiation of a complete automatic cycle of operation of said machine, said mechanisms driving staples to bind together edges of said side flaps meeting at said longitudinal plane, to end flaps disposed inside said side flaps.

5. In an automatic cyclic stapling machine for simultaneously stapling lower and upper side flaps of a carton, filled with a product to be packaged, to lower and upper end flaps respectively of said carton, the combination of: means for supporting a carton on its bottom end and side flaps with the latter folded in flat overlapping relation, with said carton filled with said product and with the top end and side flaps of said carton folded in fiat overlapping relation over said product; a lower stapling mechanism disposed under said carton so supported for driving staples upwardly into the bottom of said carton; an upper stapling mechanism disposed above said carton so supported for driving staples downwardly into the top of said carton; means for simultaneously actuating said stapling mechanisms to staple together the overlapping bottom end and side flaps of said carton and to staple together the overlapping top end and side flaps of said carton, each of said stapling mechanisms including at least one stapling head, said heads being in vertical alignment with each other; and means for automatically shifting a head of one of said stapling mechanisms vertically toward a head of the other mechanism to compensate for variations in the height of said carton and cause said heads of both mechanisms to be uniformly positioned vertically with respect to said carton before staples are driven by said mechanisms into said carton.

6. In an automatic cyclic stapling machine for simultaneously stapling lower and upper side flaps of a carton, filled with a product to be packaged, to lower and upper end flaps respectively of said carton, the combination of: means for supporting a carton on its bottom end and side flaps with the latter folded in flat overlapping relation, with said carton filled with said product and with the top end and side flaps of said carton folded in flat overlapping relation over said product; a lower stapling mechanism disposed under said carton so supported for driving staples upwardly into the bottom of said carton; an upper stapling mechanism disposed above said carton so supported for driving staples downwardly into the top of said carton; means for simultaneously actuating said stapling mechanisms to staple together the overlapping bottom end and side flaps of said carton and to staple together the overlapping top end and side flaps of said carton; and means for automatically centralizing said carton endwise with respect to the transverse plane of symmetry of said stapling mechanism at the initiation of the complete automatic cycle of said machine, each of said stapling mechanisms including two stapling heads, having staple driving axes, which heads are spaced apart equidistant from sid transverse plane of symmetry of said mechanisms and are individually shiftable toward and away from said plane, said carton endwise centralizing means, in performing its centralizing function on cartons varying in length, also engaging and shifting said stapling heads toward said plane to thereby position said heads with their staple driving axes located uniform distances inwardly from opposite ends of said carton prior to the driving of staples from said heads into said carton.

7. In an automatic cyclic stapling machine for simultaneously stapling lower and upper side flaps of a carton, filled with a product to be packaged, to lower and upper end flaps respectively of said carton, the combination of: means for supporting a carton on its bottom end and side flaps with the latter folded in flat overlapping relation, with said carton filled with said product and with the top end and side flaps of said carton folded in fiat overlapping relation over said product; a lower stapling mechanism disposed under said carton so supported for 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC CYCLIC STAPLING MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY STAPLING LOWER AND UPPER SIDE FLAPS OF A CARTON FED INTO SAID MACHINE, AFTER SAID CARTON HAS BEEN FILLED WITH A PRODUCT TO BE PACKAGED, TO LOWER AND UPPER END FLAPS RESPECTIVELY OF SAID CARTON, WHILE SAID CARTON IS HALTED IN A GIVEN POSITION IN SAID MACHINE, THE COMBINATION OF: MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A CARTON IN SAID POSITION ON ITS BOTTOM END AND SIDE FLAPS WITH SAID FLAPS FOLDED TOGETHER IN FLAT OVERLAPPING RELATION, AND WITH THE TOP END AND SIDE FLAPS OF SAID CARTON FOLDED TOGETHER IN FLAT OVERLAPPING RELATION OVER SAID PRODUCT; A LOWER STAPLING MECHANISM DISPOSED UNDER SAID CARTON WHEN THE LATTER IS SO SUPPORTED FOR DRIVING STAPLES UPWARDLY INTO THE BOTTOM OF SAID CARTON; AN UPPER STAPLING MECHANISM DISPOSED ABOVE SAID CARTON WHEN THE LATTER IS SO SUPPORTED, FOR DRIVING STAPLES DOWNWARDLY INTO THE TOP OF SAID CARTON; AND POWER MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY LOCATING SAID CARTON IN THE AFORESAID POSITION IN SAID MACHINE AND THEN SIMULTANEOUSLY ACTUATING SAID STAPLING MECHANISMS TO STAPLE TOGETHER THE OVERLAPPING BOTTOM END AND SIDE FLAPS OF SAID CARTON AND TO STAPLE TOGETHER THE OVERLAPPING TOP END AND SIDE FLAPS OF SAID CARTON. 